Dr. Ruth Young, C.B.E. (1884-1983)

Dr Ruth Young was born in Dundee on 26 January, 1884, daughter
of William B. Wilson, flax merchant, Dundee. She was educated at Dundee High School
and went on to obtain a B.Sc. at the University College, Dundee (St. Andrews University)
in 1907 and an M.B. Ch.B. from the Advanced Medical School, Dundee, in 1909.

After postgraduate study in Vienna and Dresden, she went to India to take up a position
as a lecturer at the Women’s Christian Medical College, Ludhiana, Punjab, from 1910 until
1916, before spending a year as Professor of Surgery at Lady Hardinge Medical College in
Delhi. In 1917 she married C.B. Young.

She then did voluntary work, chiefly in maternity and child welfare, until 1925, when
she became Personal Assistant to the Chief Medical Officer, Women’s Medical Service of India.
She was awarded the M.B.E. in 1928.

In 1931, she became the director of the Maternity and Child Welfare Bureau of the Indian
Red Cross Society, and in 1936, she took up position as the Principal of Lady Hardinge Medical
College, holding the post until 1940.

In 1941, she was awarded the C.B.E. Two years later she travelled to Ethiopia to advise the
Ethiopian Women’s Work Association on welfare work. She retired in 1951.